Every once in a while I see something that I have to share with you all. Mallika Sherawat is an incredible example of integrity, strength and standing by her truth. Take a look at how eloquently she responds to this journalist and tell me this isn’t a role model we should feel inspired by.

Amanda x

Amanda is a wife, mother, friend, photographer and the creator and host of The Conversation. @AmandadeCadenet

Comments

The problem is world wide..not just India – the very impetus of subjecting women to abuse is why we have overpopulation, imperialism, the constant grab for resources. Women know the boundaries of what can be supported and what cannot, but when tied to men as child brides in order to survive, all that is produced is more children for a constant state of war. We see all that has happened in the past, and its not been good for women, they have lost their voice, unable to live in peace and dignity in a bargain with thin veneer of civility on the surface. It is thin because by not complying with ascribed social role is always what gets them targeted for abuse or violence. A woman says no to something, she knows she “in for it” – the back lash, the attack(s). For survival, compliance with status quo is conditionally demanded to the point of self detriment, which is no way to live fully at all, hence repression.

This is a problem men and women must both confront, understanding that never letting women’s voices shape processes is the reason why everyone is angry and subjecting each other to violence. It does no good for women to live in fear and for her to raise children in a world of violence and fear. Everyone can agree on that, at least on the surface. Non-compliance soon enough silences womens views.

The conversation needs to be ongoing so that the opposing view point can be heard, so that womens sensibilities can be addressed, and that the problems in todays world also need to be worked on by women despite men living in the belief system that women are not capable of knowing what is the “right” thing to do for themselves or anyone else. Thats is the biggest fallacy of all – that women are not competent in these areas, when its just the opposite- they know down to the very core of their being what this world is about and what its made out of, otherwise life would not come through them, a decision nature decided on its own, wisely.

But its been forgotten, forgotten to make it easier for the few, forgotten that the heart and mind must be connected so that conscience can determine right from wrong. In this way womens emotional well being is dismissed by claimants stating that logic is all that matters, but what good is logic when logic is used to decide wars and abuses such as honor killings. These things are not logic, these things are ego unchecked. Women are saying a check on that system has to be put into place, the place that has too long been denied them because ego just does what it wants and cares about nothing but egos sake.

And here we are, still wondering when consciousness will finally awaken to the reality of the harm done to these other creatures treated as subhuman in terms of human rights, its unfortunately true- cannot be denied in communities where women do not have to be listened to or heard, that is the legacy of brutalism against women. The call to western enlightenment is part of a coordinated effort, but in turn it responds by sending its aggression in various forms to keep things the way its been. The perfect example is veiled aggression – dispersed as hyper-sexualization/pornography- these things are not needed but exploitation makes it possible yet nothing wrong is seen by those who codified it into commercial code, creating the illusion of entitlement, instant gratification without maturity or care as to how implications will affect the masses; or they knew exactly what it would do and that was reason enough to unleash it. Which was it? As unbelievable as that is, these are the things people must understand in order to understand where we are and why it is so- decision making spheres became corrupt and exploitative. Only criminally insane would think this a good thing to do, but they went on and did it anyway. Mother Jones had a great article about Newt Gingrich/Reagan administrations role in all of this should anyone care to inquire further on said miscarriage of justice. To read it was to want to vomit.

So in turn, much of what media does is keep mases entertained instead of addressing the inequality in all decision making spheres. People have to decide to entertain social justice issues, not mindlessly consume westernized male dominance as its put in front of us to keep us divided. Media giants know this, and have used it as a wedge for a long time. Time to remove the wedge, and get global community discussing the hyper- bullying-culture of treating women as objects- submissive status or faces treats, that is the challenge of today; to get the powers that be need to wake up to the scripted roles, re-write them to address the emotional center in which their conscience was shut down. Once that simple truth becomes evident, a return to orderly well being and harmony is possible.